When in an area without Wi-Fi access, you can use your 3G/4G-enabled smartphone to surf the Internet or use it as a laptop modem. 3G/4G Internet access, though, is usually limited to urban areas where 3G/4G signals are strong, and if you’re in a rural area, 3G/4G Internet access is often intermittent at best. When in an area without 3G/4G or Wi-Fi access, you can use an older CDMA or GSM phone as a modem. While considerably slower than other wireless connections, you can use an older cell phone as a modem anywhere you can place or receive a call.

1. Open your Web browser and navigate to the support website of your phone manufacturer. Download the Windows device driver application for your cell phone and save it to a folder on your computer.

2. Click “Start,” then “Computer.” Browse to the folder where you saved the device driver setup utility for your cell phone. Double-click the installation file and follow the onscreen prompts to install the drivers on your computer. Restart the computer if Windows prompts you to do so.

3. Power on your GSM or CDMA cell phone. Connect the data cable to the phone and to an empty USB port on the computer. Wait a few seconds for Windows to detect the phone and configure it for use using the drivers you installed from the phone manufacturer's website.

5. Click the “Connections” tab and then the “Add” button. Select the “Dial Up” option after the “How do you want to connect?” popup window appears on the screen.

6. Enter the dial-up access number of your Internet Service Provider in the “Dial-up Phone Number” field. Enter your account username and password in the corresponding fields. Type a descriptive name in the “Connection Name” field, or leave the default “Dial-up Connection” value in place. Enable the “Remember this password” option to avoid having to enter your password each time you connect to the Internet.

7. Click the “Connect” button. Wait a few seconds for Windows to dial the access number on the modem and establish a connection.

8. Launch your Web browser and surf the Internet as you normally would.

Things Needed

USB data cable for phone

Dial-up access number for your ISP

ISP username and password

Tip

If you set the dial-up connection as your default in Internet Options, Windows will dial the connection automatically when you launch your Web browser. To do this, open "Control Panel," then "Internet Options." Click the “Connection” tab and highlight the name of the dial-up connection. Click the “Set Default” button, then “OK.”

About the Author

Jeff Grundy has been writing computer-related articles and tutorials since 1995. Since that time, Grundy has written many guides to using various applications that are published on numerous how-to and tutorial sites. Born and raised in South Georgia, Grundy holds a Master of Science degree in mathematics from the Georgia Institute of Technology.